So you can get by with a virtually flat frontside slope then ?
So DSing down the backside of the slope and back up into horizontal wind and maintain loops ?

I have sight in mind near by I'm keen to try, frontside is almost flat, only about a 2-3' rise over 20'. The backside is pretty deep by comparison.
So if I can throw it high enough to make my first dive, then hopefully I can wind it up ?

So you can get by with a virtually flat frontside slope then ?
So DSing down the backside of the slope and back up into horizontal wind and maintain loops ?

I have sight in mind near by I'm keen to try, frontside is almost flat, only about a 2-3' rise over 20'. The backside is pretty deep by comparison.
So if I can throw it high enough to make my first dive, then hopefully I can wind it up ?

If you're already very skilled at DS, it's probably possible. But it would be very difficult to learn how to DS that way, because it takes usually takes more than a throw's worth of energy to start a complete circuit, and a there would be no friendly front-side lift to which you could bail out if you don't harvest the shear just right. Maybe a bungee launch could help solve the first problem with some margin for error.

You may know the site stehl.
Grayemstown dam next to the pump station, about 80 meters East of the park fence.
Bugger all slope into the dam, but a nice grassy deeper slope behind.
Extra bonus obsticle is the power lines right across the top of the little ridge

Bungee, agreed.
I need to build a small fast wing. Something like your 26" wing

Flat front side, start after hand throw.
The lee area is under 10 feet from slope, over that you are toast and must go an get the glider down the slope.
So you have to fly realy close to the ground/slope to get it going.

At 1:40 show why you shall stay close to ground and fly realy smooth, just a tiny jerk in the elevator stick will kill all the energy, and the glider wont get over the top.

My experience:
1. light foamies as the Alula needs a realy sharp ridge top, almost as a roof top.
2.Very close to the ground when going up over the ridge.
3. Fly with ballast.
4. My small ds sites (around 45 feet) will do in wind speed up to around 22 knots, more that that, the lee have a killer turbolens and are a dead zone even very close to the slope.
5. And dont do it, if you not are ready to loose your glider.

Awesome display, you always do great vids SpeedsterDEN.
You've proven a flat front side can still be DS'd Awesome, very challenging.

I'm still in the EPP foamy wing phase, with probably 10 DS sessions under the belt on mid size sites doing up to 100mph. Still banging in a fair bit, but definately getting the feel for it. I'm a very experienced front sider, but class myself as a DS beginner at the moment, working toward intermediate.

Definately agree I will need the right plane with enough ballast for speed and momentum.
Probably something about the Alura size, with a PW51 airfoil flying wing or plank. Would be happy to bang that into the grassy lee side of the small DS site, generally without damage.

Appreciate the advise

2nd Vid
As for the flat field tree line DSing, Wow. Allways wondered if that would be possible. Well done (definately see the need for a very efficent glider there).
Bungee launch I expect ????

Last few posts remind me of the first time I saw some bloke called Joe DS'ing a row of Trees in 1999 I think as we were abandoning a contest in NZ. Winch Launch fully ballasted F3B Eagle in about 30-40 knots and then proceeded to DS these trees within about 3 feet from destruction from either the ground or the branches. After 3 or 4 minutes sling the plane up to cruise then dive back in after and do it again for another few minutes.

SpeedsterDEN, I have been watching your videos even before I found this thread, I love them.

I have just build an Alula and I am still in the learning phase. Do you have any tip you would like to share about slope soaring and DSing the Alula?

What is a good weight for this king of flying?

Thanks,
Luca

For Dsing the Alula, around 30- 50 gram is good, depending to the wind speed.
And you will need a sharp ridge top, like on the video.
This is the perfekt ridge for the Alula and other light gliders with only a little penetration.

Use a lot of expo on the elevator and ailerons, 60 % is good.
Every control input, specialy the elevator is like pulling the brake, so smoot flying is a must.
A bit more forward CG than the dots is good when using ballast.

When flying up from the backside, dont pull elevator when going over the ridge but just let fly itself, (Almost)

The best tip is:
Low and near to the backside of the ridge, and specialy low over the ridge top on the way up again.
Just a bit to high it will hit the turbolent wind and loose the energy before its in the clean air.

And dont give up if its not working in first attemt.

Its not easy to DS the Alula, so when you can do it with that you can do it with any glider.